Smoking A Turkey On A Pellet Grill

How Long To Smoke A Turkey On A Pellet Grill? Turkey is signature dish of the Thanksgiving season. As soon as we think or intend of having a turkey party one thing with comes into mind is thanksgiving. Cooking turkey is simple and easy yet you get to enjoy it thoroughly.

Often, people either grill a turkey or bake it in the oven. However, after using any of the two methods people also smoke turkey. This is because smoking it on a Pellet grill gives it a distinguished taste. Smoking turkey on a pellet grill adds up to the charcoal flavour and also enhances the aroma. In addition to this, smoking in general also makes your meat tender and helps in retaining the flavour better.

Different people have different styles of cooking. Similarly, you can adopt any style or method to cook or grill Turkey. People either marinate the Turkey externally while some prefer stuffing the spices and the herbs inside so that marination and absorption of the flavours is enhanced.

Details On How Long To Smoke A Turkey On A Pellet Grill

Smoking turkey on a pellet grill is one of the ideal, perfect and best ways to cook Turkey. It renders you tender and flavourful turkey which is best to serve the guest for the thanksgiving dinner. Ideally, you will have to smoke your turkey for 2.5 to 3 hours. During this time ensure that the temperature of the grill pellet is around 300 degrees Fahrenheit.

You can also extend your cooking or smoking time if the turkey is thick. In addition to this, when the thickness part of Turkey has an internal temperature up to 160 degrees Fahrenheit to 170 degrees Fahrenheit, this ensures that your turkey is completely cooked.

Recipe To Smoke Turkey On A Pellet Grill

Surely, there are numerous recipes to smoke turkey on a pellet grill but here is one of the best and most famous recipes.

• Things You Will Need

Following are the things you will need to smoke turkey on a pellet grill.

1. You will need plenty of wood pellets before you begin smoking your turkey. The type and flavour of wooden pellets depends on your meat. The most common flavours are hickory, cherry and Applewood pellets.
2. Next you will need a drip pan to collect all the juice that is leaking out of your turkey.
3. Consistent probe thermometers are an essential when cooking Turkey as they help you record the temperature.
4. You can have numerous seasonings to add to your turkey.

• Instructions To Follow

Preparing Your Turkey

Firstly, you will need a turkey. The ideal weight of the turkey is fifteen pounds. Make sure that e turkey you use is completely defrosted. Do not leave your Turkey on the kitchen counter to defrost as it can lead to the growth of bacteria. Also remove the neck and the giblets.

Brining Your Turkey

Next, you have to brine your turkey. Often, previously brined turkeys are available in market. In that case, you do not have to brine your Turkey. However, if your turkey is not brined go ahead with the brining step as it adds flavour to your turkey.

To brine the turkey, mix half cup of salt and half cup of sugar in one gallon of water. Submerge your turkey in this water for up to 12 to 14 hours.

Wash And Dry

Before cooking your turkey, wash your turkey with cold water and then pat it dry using paper towels. Ensure that your turkey is completely dry from inside as well as outside.

Grilling The Turkey

Next, preheat the grill for 15 minutes on temperature of 225 degrees Fahrenheit. Rub seasoning all over the Turkey. Also rub canola oil all over the skin of your turkey. Now place your turkeys on the pellet grill, make sure that the breast region of the turkey is in contact with the pellet grill.

Tips To Smoke Turkey On A Pellet Grill

You surely do not want to ruin your Thanksgiving hence; you have to be cautious and careful before grilling or smoking your turkey on a pellet grill. Following are the tips you can follow before grilling or smoking your turkey on a pellet grill.

• Use Probe Thermometer

Do not rely on normal build in digital thermometers to smoke or grill your turkey. If you have grilled your turkey before you must be aware of the precision in temperature. Make sure to monitor the temperature while cooking Turkey. When the internal temperature has reached to 160 degrees to 170 degrees Fahrenheit this indicates that the turkey is well cooked.

• Use Fresh Turkey

Prevent using frozen Turkey as it can take around 2 days to defrost the Turkey completely. In addition to this, if you place your turkey on the counter to defrost than it can be a target of bacterial growth or microbial contamination. Moreover, fresh Turkey taste slightly better than the frozen ones. It also absorbs the flavours better.

• Experiment With Spices

Cooking Turkey is all about the flavour which is due to spices. Ensure that you use the perfect blend of spices. Experiment with spices so that you have something innovative every time. Some of the most common spices used in turkeys include salt, paprika, brown sugar, black pepper, mustard powder, garlic powder and onion powder. You can customize the flavours and spices according to your taste.

• Use A Drip Pan

Grilling or smoking a turkey can be a mess sometimes. This is because during the process the juice of Turkey continues to drip. Hence, you must have a drip pan or tray underneath your grill to collect all the juices leaking from the turkey.

Conclusion

Conclusively, you will have to smoke a turkey on a grill pellet for up to 3 hours for up to 225 degrees Fahrenheit. In addition to this, make sure to follow all the tips and tricks before beginning to grill your turkey. Choose the ideal size so that you are able to cook your turkey in desired time and with desired flavours.